Its only happened to me twice and I'm not sure what to call it or really how to explain it. The first time it happened I was in the dojo and the attack was jodan tsuki only I saw, if this makes sence, uke attack twice.
I could see him standing ready to attack and I could see another him, with a golden tint making the attack and then vanishing leaving the "real him" still standing there and then a split second later he attacked. That was about 3 weeks ago. Then on tuesday I was in a coffee shop with my friend and we have a habbit of elbowing each other now and then. As I was sitting there I suddenly saw myself being elbowed by her and while I was wondering what just happened I got elbowed by her.
Anyone had similar experiences?

batemanb

06-16-2006, 08:14 AM

too many mushrooms mate ;) , either that or you just had your epiphany and will be creating your own "style" of Aikido in the next few months, showing us poor mortals how to transcend time and space :).

personally, not had any experiences like that though ;(

Goetz Taubert

06-16-2006, 09:47 AM

Didn't have such a experience personally in aikido, but M. Ueshiba reports similar visual perception when practicing with a swordmen.

From a scientific viewpoint neurologists have found, that there is a preparational neural arousal in the brain, before a person feels and starts real action and the time bewteen preparational arousal and action is at about half a second.

So what you were able to see is probably the intent, that is later followed by action.
Don't worry, be happy!

Mark Freeman

06-16-2006, 10:05 AM

You may be on to something there Alex, as has been stated already, O Sensei had 'similar' experiences.

or on the other it could just be the mushrooms ;) :D

I think if I had a similar experience I would be walking around with a permanent grin, as it would certainly be an aid to aikido practice. :)

Mark Uttech

06-16-2006, 10:05 AM

These are what I call "normal" happenings. It comes from intuitive awareness, which is a form of
'seeing' or 'listening'. The first time we become aware of it, we may be surprised. We may think of
it as a form of 'satori' or 'enlightenment'. But really, it was there all along, nothing special. These
incidents have been always with us. Some of us try to make something of it, some of us test the
'marketability' of it.

Talon

06-16-2006, 10:13 AM

I never experienced anything like that. I wish I had. No one I train with reported anything of this sort either.

Dirk Hanss

06-16-2006, 10:35 AM

I had similar experience in critical situations. But it was getting a 360-degrees-view in slow motion. Unfortunately I can only move in slow motion, too.

Once however, I could react appropriately. It was already a harmless physical conflict, but my rucksack went loose. So I just turned awy to put it down a few meters away. My opponent followed me to hit my head from behind. But as I saw every detail, I just continued calmly, putting my rucksack to the ground without turning to the aggressor, just when the punch came. So he did not reach me, I just felt the wind of his hand.

Yes I heard him coming and somehow it could be just be visualising the perception of the other senses, but the feeling is great. And whatever physical explanation there is, I am convinced, it is a esult of my aikido practice.

So Alex, keep your skills and refine them. It is not meant for jokes, but maybe one day, you will only see one attack hitting you as for the next one (the real one) you are not there any longer.

Cheers Dirk

thisisnotreal

06-16-2006, 12:36 PM

it could be a choice you have to face.

are you becoming superhuman? do you give yourself permission to feel you have awakened some dormant skill? are you transcending limitations. are you transcending being human? are you only tired? did your brain project what you subconsciously detected as intent? Is it a temptation to start giving more and more credence to the world in your mind. it is a funny thing when humans delve into the depths of their own consciousnesses. don't lose youself...

remember; nobody can fool you, unless you let them. now, fooling youself can be an entirely different thing.

must be as sincere as you can be, but even this is no guarantee of saftety. There is only the One true Maker.

be careful man. good luck brother.

josh

Richard Langridge

06-16-2006, 01:49 PM

I can accept the idea of anticipating an action, but the "golden tint" is just a stretch too far for me.

Dajo251

06-16-2006, 04:26 PM

I dont know if this is smialar or not but one day I was driving and it was pourning rain, and I to an on ramp a bit fast, well I lost control and it was like time stopped and slowed down and gave me a chance to think the situation through and react in the best way possible, I ended up being fine, but it felt like the even took 5 min when in real time it was only about 10 seconds.

ChrisMoses

06-16-2006, 04:46 PM

I dont know if this is smialar or not but one day I was driving and it was pourning rain, and I to an on ramp a bit fast, well I lost control and it was like time stopped and slowed down and gave me a chance to think the situation through and react in the best way possible, I ended up being fine, but it felt like the even took 5 min when in real time it was only about 10 seconds.

You're describing a classic symptom of psycho-chemical stress. I would imagine that you also developed tunnel vision (allowing you to focus on the task at hand) and your hearing became dull or muffled. These are how the brain interprets massive ammounts of stimulatants that your body gets flooded with during moments of incredible stress.

Jory Boling

06-16-2006, 05:09 PM

Sounds like the "good ol' spidey sense." I don't follow his life, but I saw on yahoo news that Spiderman finally revealed his identity! Peter Parker or Alex Lawrence?

Seriously, I hope it continues to happen and your mind doesn't get in the way.

Dajo251

06-16-2006, 09:41 PM

You're describing a classic symptom of psycho-chemical stress. I would imagine that you also developed tunnel vision (allowing you to focus on the task at hand) and your hearing became dull or muffled. These are how the brain interprets massive ammounts of stimulatants that your body gets flooded with during moments of incredible stress.
basically minus the tunnel vision, It seemed more like I could see everything

statisticool

06-16-2006, 10:02 PM

It sounds like visualization skills (a compliment), muscle memory, and being able to 'listen' to the actions of others.

Ketsan

06-17-2006, 10:17 AM

Thanks for the replies people. So does anyone know how to develop it further?

Mark Uttech

06-17-2006, 01:39 PM

trying to develop things further is called greed. Always wanting more is a terrible tangle. It is really better to just go to the dojo, and when the bell rings, bow in, and train.

I think that whatever is going on is very cool, and is a new level of awareness. Mystical, spiritual, super-cognitive, who knows but (before I start making up more words) I say go with it!
I've had (a very few) strange experiences where I have 'known', like knowledge was just there, about an unfolding event, and acted appropriately without consciously trying. Like a wierd kind of detached, relaxed, 'oh look at this' state of mind.

Alex, what you experienced is way beyond anything I have experienced, and I view it as a signpost that you are on the right track. Good stuff!

Lan Powers

06-18-2006, 10:40 AM

I dont know if this is smialar or not but one day I was driving and it was pourning rain, and I to an on ramp a bit fast, well I lost control and it was like time stopped and slowed down and gave me a chance to think the situation through and react in the best way possible, I ended up being fine, but it felt like the even took 5 min when in real time it was only about 10 seconds.

Similar to Daniels incident was when I was hit by a car at 11 or 12
(I don't remember exactly)
The realization, is I darted out into the street that the big bush at the edge of the curb had hidden a car approaching made me experiance something very much as Daniel described.
I am not sure about the tunnel-vision aspect, but I VIVIDLY recall the time-compression aspect of it. From about 8 feet away from his bumper, I had time to pump my bikes pedals twice, think complete coherant thoughts concerning my mom and how she would take me getting killed, and to pray (well, alright, it was more like "I'm sorry") but that was all there was time for in this case.
Then I am opening my eyes to a sideways world and .. kind of re-booting.
The witness who was driving a truck nearby said that I pumped madly, and then raised my leg from the pedal over the hood of the car as it hit me rather than get it caught in between. I don't remember that, but it was very pronounced the way that it took forever for the car to close 8 feet to hit me.
The mind has a passing gear it seems.
Lan

connie brown

06-18-2006, 11:06 AM

Somewhat simelar in a minor key: There was this warmup during this one class where about 10 of us had to keep in sonstant motion for two minutes. So everyone was sort of wriggling around on the mats in close proximity, and the dojo is rather small so it was kind of crownded. We were mostly on our baacks and sides. This one gal's foot came kicking straight at my mouth, pretty hard, and my hand shot up to protect my face just in time. I didn't actually ssee her foot approacing, it was sort of above my head and I couldn't see it at all. But some instict in me reacted and my hand was there to protect myself just before she would've hit me. She said "good reflex" and i just said "thanks" feeling a little dazed.

A trained body and mind can produce interesting effects. Everyone once in a while I realized how fast things are really happening around me and get kinda freaked out. Its like driving a car at 90 miles an hour. Everything seems like its moving at a slow, easy to perceive pace. But if you get sucked out of the 'moment' you realize how fast everything is moving. A year ago I would be overwhelmed by speed and power of attacks I encounter while sparing. Now they just seem normal as if they are no faster or stronger then lessor attacks I delt with as a beginner.